Polyphase relay



J. C. McDONALD POLYPHASE RELAY Filed March 24, 1924 IN VEN TOR A TTORNE Y Patented Oct. 5, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN [COLIN MODONALD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR or ONE-THIRD 'ro WILLIAM NORMAN WESTERLUND, or NEW YORK, N. Y., AND TWENTY-SIX PER GENT TO EDWARD L. coRBE'r'r, 01 NEW YORILN. Y.

PoLY'rH'AsE RELAY.

L Application filed march 24, 1924. semi No. 701,350.

This invention relates to polyphase relays. It is an improvement on the relay set forth in the Thompson United States Patent No. 1,420,067 of J une'20, 1922 and on relays of the general character of such patented relay.

The object of this invention is to provide simple and effective means for looking a connector plate in eontact with two opposed, spaced apart electrodes or contacts during such length of time as may be desired and for unlocking the armature and permitting it to move out of contact with the electrodes; the locking and unlocking of the armature being accomplished electrically and automatically.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and il u'strating the invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a polyphase relay containing my new connector plate locking means. The cover of the relay chamber containing such locking means is turned aside for greater clearness. This view shows the connector plate in locked position against the electrodes. I

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the relay shown in Fig. 1 a part of the side wall of the front chamber being broken away more clearly to show the construction of the connector plate locking means.

. Fig.3 is a plan view showing the parts illustrated in Fig. 1, but with the connector plate out of contact with the electrodes.

In the drawings A indicates a polyphase relay casing which as heretofore'pointed out is formed with a front chamber having an annular side wall a and abottom a. The usual cover a is shown turned aside in Figs. 1 and 2. I

Two electrodes or contacts 1 and2 that are spaced apart one from the other project through the wall a into said chamber. A connector plate 3 is mounted to contact simultaneously and automatically with both electrodes 1 and 2 and this connector plate is mounted movably between upstanding side lugs 4 and connected with the inward end of a supporting plate 5 which at 6 has its outward end attached to a combined insulating block 7 and rocker arm8. The electrodes 1 and 2 are for an exterior circuit,

the circuit being made by contact of the connector plate with the electrodes and broken by moving the connector plate out of contact with the electrodes. The connector plate and carrier plate are in insulated connection with the rocker arm 8, the outward end of which is pivoted to the bottom a of said chamber on a pivot pin 9. The rocker arm 8 extends horizontally inwards and has its inward end pivoted at 10 to the upper end of an upper toggle link 10, the under end of which is connected by a projecting pivot pin 11 to the upper end of an under toggle link 12 the under end of which is pivoted at 13 to the bottom a of the chamber. The pivotal connections 9 and 13 are each adjacent the annular side wall a and spaced apart by approximately 90. The pivot pin 11 projects laterally between curved, fork arms of a rocker cam plate 14 which is fixed on the end of the polyphase relay rocker shaft 16, the end of the shaft pro ecting through the bottom wall a of the chamber. The fork space into which the pin 11 projects is indicated by 17 and the fork arms by 18.

The toggle links 10 and 12 are each preferably composed of two parallel, spaced apart members, as shown. The rocker shaft 16 is rockable in reverse directions according to the phase given the relay as is well known to all skilled in the art and shown in said Thompson Patent No. 1,420,067.

Preferably, the connector plate 3 is con nected to the carrier plate 5 by means of a slide pin 15 the upper end of which is anchored at the center of the. connector plate and the under end of which projects downwardly through and slides in a hole in the inward end of the carrier plate 5. A cross pin 15 through the under end of the pin and under the inward end of the carrier plate, which is preferably curved upwardly at its inward end, )revents displacement of the connector plate. A coil spring 15 is interposed between the under side of the connector plate and the upper side of the raised, inward end of the carrier plate which is given a slight downward movement against the resistance of the spring when the connector plate is forced into contact with the electrodes 1 and 2.

The polyphase relay rocker shaft is actuated automatically and the toggle links 10 and 12 are moved into their circuit breaking, bent position, shown in Fig. 3, automatically; and also are moved into their circuit making position shown in Fig. 1, automatically. .Vhen by rocking of the rocker cam plate 1% in a direction which carrice the fork arms 18 initially downwards for straightening the toggle links, the in ward end of the rocker arm 8 is lifted, forcing the connector plate upwardly into contact with the electrodes 1 and 2 against the resistance of the spring 15*. The connector plate is then guided by the opposed lugs at. In the upper movement of the connector plate, whereby the exterior circuit is made, the upward swing of the inward end of the rocker arm 8 gives a slight rectilinear movement to the connector plate from right to left, thus wiping and tending to keep bright, the under ends of the electrodes 1 and he movement is slight but eiiicient. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the links 10 and 12 are carried very slightly past dead centering position when the connector plate is forced into contact with the electrodes 1 and 2. In its then locked position, the toggle links 1O and 12 cannot be jarred out of locking position in which they are oil"- ciently held by compression of the spring.

hen the polyphase relay rocker shaft is given a reverse rocking movement by a phase reversal, whereby the movement of the connector plate away from the electrodes, 1s effected, the fork arms 17 and 18 return from their locking position, swinging upwardly into the position shown in Fig. 3 and moving the pivot pin 11 into its toggle link bending path. During this reversed unlocking movement, at the initial downward swing of the inward end of the rocker arm 8, another slight rectilinear wiping movement of the connector plate from left to right with the ends of the electrodes 1 and 2 is effected.

The wiping movements given to the connector plate are desirable, but not absolutely essential. They are, however. a feature of my invention.

The connector plate actuating locking mechanism, above described. is built into the relay to form a continuous operating feature of the relay and is wholly automatic in op eration.

What I claim is:

1. An electrical relay comprising in combination a polyphase operator, a rocker shaftarranged to be actuated by said operator, a rocker cam plate carried by said rocker shaft, said cam plate extending for a greater distance on one side of said rocker shaft than on the opposite side thereof, said first mentioned portion being forked and providing means for guiding adjacent ends of pivotally connected toggle links, an insulated block member pivotally mounted on said casing, a contact plate carried by said insulated block member, a pair of electrodes arranged to be shunted by said contact plate, and a connection between one of said toggle links and the extremity of said insulated block whereby rotative movement of said rocker cam plate causes said contact plate to bridge or be removed from contact with said electrodes.

2. An electrical relay comprising in combination a casing, a polyphase operator in said casing, a rocker shaft actuated by said polyphase operator, a cam plate carried by said rocker shaft, a fork extension on said cam plate, a lever pivotally mounted adjacent one side of said casing and having a member passing through said forked extension on said cam plate, an insulated block member pivotally mounted on said casing, a contact plate carried by said insulated block member, a pair of electrodes arranged to be bridged by said contact plate, and a toggle link interposed between the extremity of said insulated block and the extremity of said lever whereby movement of said cam plate imparts quick movement in a radial direction to said contact plate for bridging said contact plate across said electrodes or removing said contact plate from said electrodes.

3. An electrical relay comprising in combination a casing, a polyphase operator in said casing, a rocker shaft actuated by said polyphase operator, a rocker cam having an extended forked portion mounted on said rocker shaft, a lever member pivotally mounted on said casing and having its end engaged by said forked portion, an insulated block member pivoted on said casing in aposition removed substantially ninety degrees from the pivotal mounting of said lever, 21 contact plate carried by said insulated block member, a pair of electrodes mounted in one wall of said casing and arranged to be bridged by said contact plate, and a toggle link pivotally connected between the extremity of said insulated block and the extremity of said lever whereby movementof said rocker cam tends to move said contact plate in a radial direction for bridging said contact plate across said electrodes or removing said plate from engagement therewith.

4. An electrical relay comprising in combination a casing, a polyphase operator in said casing, a rocker shaft actuated by said polyphase operator, a rocker cam carried by said rocker shaft and having an open forkedextension thereon, a U-shaped member pivotally mounted adjacent one side of said casing and having its outer ends bridged by a post inter-connecting the outer ends of a pair of forked extension, an insulated block member pivotally mounted on said casing, said block member carrying a contact plate adjacent its extremity, a pair of electrodes mounted in said casing and arranged to be bridged by said contact plate, and connections between the ends of said toggle links and said insulated block whereby rotation of said rocker plate forces said contact plate into engage 10 ment with said electrodes.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New York this 19th day of March A. D. 1924.

JOHN COLIN MQDONALD. 

